I've finally cut the cable and started shopping for an antenna...having a hard time deciding, and hoping for some good advice from this forum. My TVfool report is attached. I'm just trying to get the big 3 networks right in the city, as well as WJSU. I'm fine with an outdoor antenna...whatever it takes to get the best picture quality. I'm dragging my wife along kicking and screaming, so it needs to be easy (no rotator or gain knob to mess with). Can anybody help me out?

BW, be sure to get a good VHF/UHF combo antenna...depending on where you live you will probably not get any ABC33-40 channels without a rotor, or manual rotation of your antenna...I assume you intend to point it at Red Mountain and leave it there?

I prefer Winegard antennas, and get the best combo VHF/UHF you can afford with a preamp mounted on the antenna and the power supply at your signal distribution point.

If you google Winegard antennas you will find a good selection that fits your TVfool map.

Thanks for the reply. I've looked at the Winegard 1080 and the ChannelMaster 2000. My concern with the 1080 is that it wouldn't pick up WJSU. With the 2000, I was assuming I'd need to mess with the gain to keep from drowning out the stations on red mountain. Also, part of me thinks either antenna might be overkill since most of those channels could be picked up from a set-top antenna according to that chart. We haven't moved into the house yet, otherwise I'd just go pick up a set-top and figure it out.

Also consider if you will ever have more than one TV in the house that you want to distribute signals to...a set-top antenna would be required for all TV's...a good outside antenna can drive splitters and can be distributed to several TV sets.

I bring my OTA coax into my basement into a distribution amplifier then into a splitter with 6 outputs, then a coax from each splitter output to 6 different TV's in the house...I also combine the Dish receiver output with the OTA and it's part of the 6 signals distributed to those 6 TV's...I have 6 UHF remotes that control the Dish receiver...

My system is an overkill for most folks, but I like the choice of multi-room TV choices.

few days. I live in Hoover directly behind the big Metropolitian Church of God on I459. When I tried several years ago, I couldn't get ABC but this this time it's different. First, I purchased an Antennas Direct Clearstream 2 from BB and it gets everything. It was around $100 so I plan to take it back and get another cheaper antenna. I just can't get my wife to give up cable - yet! Oh, and by the way, I have a 10 foot mast that I have inserted into my patio table in place of an umbrella. I plan to mount it possibly on the chimney at some point but for now I'm getting an excellent picture.

I get ABC on 58.1 and 33.1 whereas before I couldn't get it at all before. I called 33/40 and talked to the Head Engineer who explained that not only do they have towers in Windom Springs and Anniston, they also have a repeater in the Wildwood area. You'll have to play around with it a bit but I'll bet you will get the signal.

Let's stay in touch on the board here so we can share our experiences.

The new Samsung Smart TV's have a browser (I don't know what it is but it doesn't matter) so that you can connect to the internet. The important thing is if you can get to the internet, you can watch most shows for free (although maybe a day after first airing).

What I have been considering for the past few weeks is a way to dump cable yet retain access to shows that my wife likes to watch. I think I've come up with a reasonable solution.

My wife likes some Lifetime and TNT shows but, most importantly, she religiously watches two soap operas, Days of our Lives and The Young and the Restless. As stated earlier, most shows, including the two mentioned, are available online along with most Lifetime and TNT shows.

I am planning on purchasing a desktop pc with Windows Media Player and a tv tuner card with an HDMI out to connect to my tv. With such a setup, she should be able to watch any of the aforementioned shows. And I can save $100 a month on cable.

Such a setup will also eliminate the need to tape many shows because most are available for free online and are usually available for several weeks.

I plan to post updates but if anyone has additional ideas, please share them.

The new Samsung Smart TV's have a browser (I don't know what it is but it doesn't matter) so that you can connect to the internet. The important thing is if you can get to the internet, you can watch most shows for free (although maybe a day after first airing).

What I have been considering for the past few weeks is a way to dump cable yet retain access to shows that my wife likes to watch. I think I've come up with a reasonable solution.

My wife likes some Lifetime and TNT shows but, most importantly, she religiously watches two soap operas, Days of our Lives and The Young and the Restless. As stated earlier, most shows, including the two mentioned, are available online along with most Lifetime and TNT shows.

I am planning on purchasing a desktop pc with Windows Media Player and a tv tuner card with an HDMI out to connect to my tv. With such a setup, she should be able to watch any of the aforementioned shows. And I can save $100 a month on cable.

Such a setup will also eliminate the need to tape many shows because most are available for free online and are usually available for several weeks.

I plan to post updates but if anyone has additional ideas, please share them.

BG Eagle1

If you connect straight cable or an antenna you can install the Rovi TV listings app that integrates with the Smart TV.

Has anyone else noticed that on NBC the lip sync is bad? We watch the nightly news on NBC and it's hard to watch closely since the lips and the sounds are so far apart. It is worse on Uverse than OTA. I have an outside antenna so I can get all of the local stations just in case Uverse goes down and I have compared NBC on both. The lip sync is much farther off via Uverse, but even on OTA it is not right. Am I the only one that sees this?

Has anyone else noticed that on NBC the lip sync is bad? We watch the nightly news on NBC and it's hard to watch closely since the lips and the sounds are so far apart. It is worse on Uverse than OTA. I have an outside antenna so I can get all of the local stations just in case Uverse goes down and I have compared NBC on both. The lip sync is much farther off via Uverse, but even on OTA it is not right. Am I the only one that sees this?

Does it happen only on network programming, or local (news, commercials) as well?

few days. I live in Hoover directly behind the big Metropolitian Church of God on I459. When I tried several years ago, I couldn't get ABC but this this time it's different. First, I purchased an Antennas Direct Clearstream 2 from BB and it gets everything. It was around $100 so I plan to take it back and get another cheaper antenna. I just can't get my wife to give up cable - yet! Oh, and by the way, I have a 10 foot mast that I have inserted into my patio table in place of an umbrella. I plan to mount it possibly on the chimney at some point but for now I'm getting an excellent picture.

I get ABC on 58.1 and 33.1 whereas before I couldn't get it at all before. I called 33/40 and talked to the Head Engineer who explained that not only do they have towers in Windom Springs and Anniston, they also have a repeater in the Wildwood area. You'll have to play around with it a bit but I'll bet you will get the signal.

Let's stay in touch on the board here so we can share our experiences.

FWIW, I've got a Wineguard SS-2000. I've got it pointed almost between Red Mountain and I think what is the Tuscaloosa tower (between 222 degrees and 265 degrees. Whatever tower is 39 miles away according to tvfool. I think that's Tuscaloosa). I've gotten all channels (including 33.1) flawlessly over the last year. On a sunny day my signal strength is well over 90% for all major networks (including ABC 33.1). I'm in the Crestwood area.

Anyone have experience on Brighthouse v Charter? Charter looks like it will finally make itself available in the city proper in the next year. I kind of hate Brighthouse but have heard some Charter horror stories as well.

It's been a long time since I've used Charter for TV. Currently use a Tivo HD for OTA only and a Blu-Ray player for Vudu, etc.

We are adding another HD display and my wife will want more than just OTA channels. Thus, I will either add Charter HD (in addition to their HSI service already subscribed to) to the Tivo or go back to Dish.

Any of you using Charter with a Tivo HD (or Premier)? Have the cablecard issues settled down? Do you have to use a tuning adapter now and, if so, how well does that work with the Tivo?

I have never cared for the Charter-provided DVR's and will not use their VOD service (again, I prefer Vudu). I just don't know if Charter's service currently plays well with the Tivo.

Yes, Charter requires the tuning adapter with the cable cards. Is it flawless, no. I can honestly say that I have not missed a recording, but I do not know how. Fairly often, when just tuning to a HD channel that I am supposed to receive, the channel is not view able. A power cycle of the tuning adapter sometimes helps, but sometimes power cycle of the ta and a re-start of the tivo is required to clear things up. The locals are pretty much "always on" as are ESPN and ESPN2. Only a few of the HD channels I have problems with. Discovery, Weather Channel. But for the price (if you are already paying for cable) and to be able to use Tivo, I put up with it.

Yes, Charter requires the tuning adapter with the cable cards. Is it flawless, no. I can honestly say that I have not missed a recording, but I do not know how. Fairly often, when just tuning to a HD channel that I am supposed to receive, the channel is not view able. A power cycle of the tuning adapter sometimes helps, but sometimes power cycle of the ta and a re-start of the tivo is required to clear things up. The locals are pretty much "always on" as are ESPN and ESPN2. Only a few of the HD channels I have problems with. Discovery, Weather Channel. But for the price (if you are already paying for cable) and to be able to use Tivo, I put up with it.

Good afternoon.

We're sorry to hear about the trouble you're having with your TiVo and tuning adapter. We'll be happy to look into this issue for you.

Please send us a private message with the name, address, and telephone number on the account and we'll trouble shoot this issue.

Yes, Charter requires the tuning adapter with the cable cards. Is it flawless, no. I can honestly say that I have not missed a recording, but I do not know how. Fairly often, when just tuning to a HD channel that I am supposed to receive, the channel is not view able. A power cycle of the tuning adapter sometimes helps, but sometimes power cycle of the ta and a re-start of the tivo is required to clear things up. The locals are pretty much "always on" as are ESPN and ESPN2. Only a few of the HD channels I have problems with. Discovery, Weather Channel. But for the price (if you are already paying for cable) and to be able to use Tivo, I put up with it.

Thanks for the response Durbin. I was worried that an added device would aggravate the seamlessness that one expects from a TiVo.

Hey y'all...this has been a very informative thread! I'm in the Russet Woods area of Hoover and after the football season I'm going to cancel my DirectTV service and go strictly with OTA channels.

My TVFool thingy is below and I was wondering what kind of antenna I need to get. I'm looking at the Winegard GS-2200, but the description on Amazon says this antenna is recommended for areas 20-45 miles from the antennas and most of my antennas are 12 miles away in Homewood. (I would post a link to it, but I can't post links 'til I have 3 posts!)

Also, would I just need a simply splitter to run the signal to two TVs, or would I need an amped splitter?

I think you need a little more antenna, especially if you want to get ABC. It's considerably farther away. I would suggest something like the Channel Master 2016 or even bigger to be sure. I live in Bluff Park and have the Channel Master 3016 and it may be a little overkill, but I get excellent reception at all times. As far as using it for 2 TVs, a decent splitter, one that is good for up to 1000 mhz should be fine.

I think you need a little more antenna, especially if you want to get ABC. It's considerably farther away. I would suggest something like the Channel Master 2016 or even bigger to be sure. I live in Bluff Park and have the Channel Master 3016 and it may be a little overkill, but I get excellent reception at all times. As far as using it for 2 TVs, a decent splitter, one that is good for up to 1000 mhz should be fine.

Thank you. How big is that Channel master? I see one of the dimensions on the Amazon site is 83 inches. That seems quite big compared to some other models that boast the same range. Where did you mount it? Also, is that a multidirectional or directional?

Here's another one I found...what do you think of it. It's the RCA ANT751R. It appears to be the RCA model of the EZ-HDTV Antenna:

Thank you. How big is that Channel master? I see one of the dimensions on the Amazon site is 83 inches. That seems quite big compared to some other models that boast the same range. Where did you mount it? Also, is that a multidirectional or directional?

Here's another one I found...what do you think of it. It's the RCA ANT751R. It appears to be the RCA model of the EZ-HDTV Antenna:

The 2016 is about 3 feet long, my 3016 is 6 feet long. They are both fairly directional, but not totally. I have mine pointed in between the red mountain towers and the ABC tower in Cook Springs and it's gets all of the stations. The RCA ANT751R seems too little of an antenna for me. I think it's better to get one bigger than you need and be happy than to get one too small for your needs and be sad.